Vehicle manufacturers attempt to reduce the weight of the vehicles in order to enhance the fuel economy of the vehicle. Often the reduction in weight compromises the strength of component parts. Recently, regulations, such as ECE17 and Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS), such as FMVSS202A, have mandated a stiffer component structure for vehicle seats.
Recent components, meeting ECE17 regulation, such as seat frames comprising a plastic blend of polycarbonate and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (PC/ABS), have increased the cost of seat frames as well as increased the weight of the seat frames relative to the blowmolded polyethylene seat frames that they replaced.
Manufacturers need to connect seat frame components, including the PC/ABS seat frames, to fixed platforms in the vehicles. Current methods, such as bolting directly through a plastic component, result in areas of very high stress concentration. Very high stress concentration may result in premature fatigue failure of the plastic component or other structural damage to the plastic component during high acceleration and deceleration events of the vehicle.
What is needed is a lightweight component that mitigates the stress concentration while remaining economically competitive.